U-15 BNT vs. Slovenia
2-3 L

2015 Tournament delle Nazioni

NOVA GORICA, Slovenia (April 27, 2015) – The U.S. Under-15 Boys’ National Team dropped its first game at the 12th Tournament Delle Nazioni, falling to Slovenia 2-3 on Monday, April 27 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.

The loss pushed the U.S.’s tournament record to 2-1-0 to finish group play with six points, behind group winner Slovenia. The wins over Costa Rica and Croatia however, proved enough points to qualify the USA for the semifinals where it will meet Italy on Wednesday, April 29.

Slovenia struck first in the game’s 23rd minute. From a corner, Slovenia played a ball in that the U.S. cleared out to a Slovenian player, who in-turn received it and served it back into Jaka Bijol, who then took a turn inside the box and finished to put Slovenia up 1-0.

The momentum continued to go the way of Slovenia in the early minutes of the second half and the team tallied two more scores in the half’s first five minutes. The first came in the 37th minute when Slovenia played a ball into Medved Zan, who found a seam between the U.S. center backs and sent in the game’s second goal. In the 40th minute Slovenia scored in a similar fashion when the ball got through to Kerin Luka at the top of the box and he hit a shot over the keeper to increase the lead to three.

The U.S. wouldn’t go down without a fight. Chris Goslin would bury a 22-yard strike in the 66th minute and George Acosta would follow with a free kick goal from 24 yards out in the 70th minute, but time ran out and the USA was dealt its first loss of the tournament.

On Wednesday, the USA and Italy will compete for the chance to take on the winner of the other semifinal game between Slovenia and Austria, with the winners of each game advancing to the Tournament’s final.

CHICAGO (April 13, 2015) – U.S Under-15 Boy’s National Team head coach John Hackworth has selected a 20-player roster that will travel to Gradisca d’Isonzo, Italy, from April 21-May 2, and compete in the 12th Tournament Delle Nazioni.

The group will first depart to Italy, one of the three host nations for the tournament, where it will prepare for a few days before heading to Slovenia for its opening-round match on April 25 against Costa Rica.

The USA has been drawn into Group C of the tournament alongside Slovenia, Costa Rica and Croatia, and will play all of its group matches in various cities across Slovenia.

Group A will play its group matches in Italy and is formed by England, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Italy. Group B will face against each other in Austria, and is made up of Brazil, Albania, Mexico and Austria.

The roster features 17 players that were born in the year 2000 and three born in 1999. Twelve of the 20 players participated in the U-15 BNT March domestic training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Half of the roster is comprised of players that participated in the U-15 BNT’s first domestic training camp of the year in Florida from March 7-15.

The group has strong ties to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with 18 of the 20 having had some involvement with Academy Clubs.